Skipping breakfast is a popular way to achieve Time-Restricted Eating (TRE), a well-known form of fasting. This typically involves a fasting window of >12 hours a day (14-18 hours is common).
TRE can help tune in with the body’s natural circadian rhythm or 24 hour biological clock. Our modern lifestyle has unlimited access to food, artificial light and other factors that can disrupt this rhythm and affect health (e.g. shift workers have higher disease risk). While TRE can have many benefits, it’s NOT the only way to achieve these. For instance, see the figure below for how regular exercise compares.
Figure 1: The effect of TRE and exercise on metabolic health in humans. Note, dashed boxes indicate proposed effect, while solid boxed indicate known effect.
Putting it in to practice:
There’s a lot of research underway and much to be known. However, from current evidence,
- TRE can be beneficial especially if it helps align with the body’s circadian rhythm.
- It can be as simple as having dinner a few hours earlier and not eating after, to prepare the body for rest.
- It may not be appropriate for all e.g. children, athletes, breastfeeding mums.
Takeaway: No, you don’t have to skip breakfast. It’s entirely dependent on the lifestyle and eating pattern that works for you. It’s not only about WHEN you eat but also what you eat, your exercise, sleep habits etc. Remember, the bigger picture always matters.
References:
- Parr, E. B., Heilbronn, L. K., & Hawley, J. A. (2020). A Time to Eat and a Time to Exercise. Exercise and sport sciences reviews, 48(1), 4–10. https://doi.org/10.1249/JES.0000000000000207
- Mattson, M. P., Allison, D. B., Fontana, L., Harvie, M., Longo, V. D., Malaisse, W. J., Mosley, M., Notterpek, L., Ravussin, E., Scheer, F. A., Seyfried, T. N., Varady, K. A., & Panda, S. (2014). Meal frequency and timing in health and disease. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(47), 16647–16653. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1413965111